USPTO Patents Application 09352194

- 2 - Docket No. 0756-1 998

Application Serial No. 09/352,194

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step.

(Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of;

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;

providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in air for crystallizing
said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic element;

removing an oxide film from a surface of said semiconductor film by
etching after said irradiation of said laser light;

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating in a reducing
atmosphere after removing said oxide film; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step.

(Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;

providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in air for crystallizing
said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic element;

removing an oxide film from a surface of said semiconductor film by
etching after said irradiation of said laser light;

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating in an inert gas
after removing said oxide film; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step.

4

-3- Docket No. 0756-1998

Application Serial No. 09/352,194

(Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;
providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
-crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in air for crystallizing
said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic element;

removing an oxide film from a surface of said semiconductor film by
etching after said irradiation of said laser light;

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating in an
atmosphere after removing said oxide film, wherein a concentration of oxygen or an
oxygen compound contained in said atmosphere is 10 ppm or less; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step.

3©. (Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
J comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;
providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in air for crystallizing
' said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic element;

removing an oxide film from a surface of said semiconductor film by
etching after said irradiation of said laser light;

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating in a reducing
atmosphere after removing said oxide film, wherein a concentration of oxygen or an
oxygen compound contained in said reducing atmosphere is 10 ppm or less; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step.

JfO, (Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of:

-4- Docket No. 0756-1998

Application Serial No. 09/352,194

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;

providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in air for crystallizing
said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic element;

removing an oxide film from a surface of said semiconductor film by
etching after said irradiation of said laser light;

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating in an inert gas
after removing said oxide film, wherein a concentration of oxygen or an oxygen
compound contained in said inert gas is 10 ppm or less; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after s^id

leveling step.

t

^1. (Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;

providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in air for crystallizing
said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic element;

treating a surface of said semiconductor film with a hydrofluoric acid after
said irradiation of said laser light;

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating after said
treatment with said hydrofluoric acid; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step.

(Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;

providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

V

Docket No. 0756-1998
Application Serial No. 09/352,194

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in air for crystallizing
said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic element;

treating a surface of said semiconductor film with a hydrofluoric acid after
said irradiation of said laser light;

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating after said
treatment with said hydrofluoric acid in a reducing atmosphere; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step.

t

4€r (Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;

providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in air for crystallizing
said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic element;

treating a surface of said semiconductor film with a hydrofluoric acid after
said irradiation of said laser light;

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating after said
treatment with said hydrofluoric acid in an inert gas; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step,

t

44. (Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;

providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in air for crystallizing
said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic element;

treating a surface of said semiconductor film with a hydrofluoric acid after
said irradiation of said laser light;

9l

•

-6- Docket No. 0756-1998

Application Serial No, 09/352,194

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating after said
treatment with said hydrofluoric acid in an atmosphere, wherein a concentration of
oxygen or an oxygen compound contained in said atmosphere is 10 ppm or less; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step.

^ (Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;

providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in air for crystallizing
said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic element;

treating a surface of said semiconductor film with a hydrofluoric acid after
said irradiation of said laser light;

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating after said
treatment with said hydrofluoric acid in a reducing atmosphere, wherein a concentration
of oxygen or an oxygen compound contained in said reducing atmosphere is 10 ppm or
less; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step,

\V

(Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;

providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in air for crystallizing
said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic element;

treating a surface of said semiconductor film with a hydrofluoric acid after
said irradiation of said laser light;

r7- Docket No. 0756-1998

J Application Serial No. 09/352,194

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating after said
treatment with said hydrofluoric acid in an inert gas, wherein a concentration of oxygen
or an oxygen compound contained in said inert gas is 10 ppm or less; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step.

0. (Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;

providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in an atmosphere
containing oxygen for crystallizing said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic
element;

removing an oxide film from a surface of said semiconductor film by
etching after said irradiation of said laser light; and

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating in an
atmosphere after removing said oxide film, wherein a concentration of oxygen or an
oxygen compound contained in said atmosphere is 10 ppm or less; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step.

(Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;

providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in an atmosphere
containing oxygen for crystallizing said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic
element;

treating a surface of said semiconductor film with a hydrofluoric acid after
said irradiation of said laser light;

51*

DdSket No. 0756-1998
Application Serial No. 09/352,194

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating after said
treatment with said hydrofluoric acid in an atmosphere, wherein a concentration of
oxygen or an oxygen compound contained in said atmosphere is 10 ppm or less; and

etching said semiconductor film into a semiconductor layer after said

leveling step.

pi6, (Amended) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate;

providing said semiconductor film with a catalytic element for facilitating a
crystallization of said semiconductor film;

irradiating said semiconductor film with laser light in air for crystallizing
said semiconductor film after providing said catalytic element;

removing a natural oxidation film from a surface of said semiconductor film
by etching; apef

leveling said surface of said semiconductor film by heating in an
atmosphere after removing said natural oxidation film, wherein a concentration of
oxygen or an oxygen compound contained in said atmosphere is 10 ppm Q''*^^

61